


Inverse

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: All New X-Factor, Avengers (Comics), Marvel 616, Uncanny Avengers, X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: Axis - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 10:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2728787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He hated that it had come to this. Wanda forced by an outside entity to speak her mind on Pietro's crimes, and Pietro forced by Magneto of all people to face her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inverse

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, this is what I would want to have happen in the next issue of Axis. Pietro and Wanda talking and resolving stuff. It probably won't. But one can hope. 
> 
> Kind of spoilers for Axis so far but all you need to know is that the good guys hate everyone and the bad guys are saving people because everyone's being influenced by the Red Skull. And also everyone's confused. Pietro is not inverted because Warlock has some tech keeping the X-Factor team safe.

“Your sister is in danger.” 

There were several things that bothered Pietro about this situation. One was that he was floating thousands of feet in the air. Two, the person responsible for this was Magneto, and there was no love between them left to lose. Third, Pietro had been plucked out of an important battle where he was protecting his team. 

And fourth, Magneto was talking about his sister, when he was the last person Wanda needed in her life. 

“What happened?” he asked, not bothering to conceal his distaste for the whole thing. 

“She has gone insane again,” Magneto explained and Pietro almost rolled his eyes. “We must stop her before she destroys the world.” 

Pietro couldn't help snapping, “You don't give her enough credit. If she's destroying anything, it's probably because it deserved destroying. I gather that's why you're so scared that you'd lower yourself to ask for my help.” 

Magneto's eyes flashed. Pietro almost regretted insulting him when he was being held hostage in the sky. Almost. 

But he wasn't sent falling to his death. Instead, Magneto said, “You know her better than anyone.” 

Knew, Pietro wanted to say. They hadn't spoken in a long time and after the press conference where Pietro admitted to terrible crimes he'd previously blamed on the Skrulls, he was willing to bet she felt like he was a stranger. 

But Pietro didn't trust Magneto with this. Magneto didn't respect Wanda. And Pietro had been trying to be better about that sort of thing. 

Magneto hadn't even noticed. 

“I'll do it,” Pietro said, “but only if you don't interfere.” 

“You think you can handle this on your own?” Magneto asked. 

“You've always doubted me,” Pietro said. “But Wanda never has. I know her better than anyone. I do this alone, or not at all.” 

“Fine,” Magneto said, eyes narrowed. “But if you fail-”

“I won't.” 

*

Pietro was dropped off in New York, which looked like a mess. The result of all the good guys giving into the hateful parts of their thoughts, prompted by a hateful man with too much power. 

He found Wanda with Doom, fighting. He was tempted to let her hurt him, but that wouldn't be right. Even if Doom deserved it. There was another time for that. A time when both parties were fully in control. 

Pietro zipped into the fray, grabbed Doom, dropped him off a mile away with Magneto, and zipped back to Wanda, skidding to a stop in front of her. 

Her expression twisted into a cruel approximation of a smile at the sight of him, her glowing hands illuminating her face. “Pietro,” she said. “It's been a while.” 

“It has,” Pietro agreed, tensed for whatever she could throw at him. 

“Of course you came running when father called,” Wanda continued. “You've said you hate him, but your morals change as fast as you change teams.” 

“I'm here because I knew you'd hate being under someone else's influence,” Pietro said. “And you'd hate it even more if father was the one to try to remedy the problem.” 

“Don't tell me what I would feel,” Wanda snapped. “As if you know, or care. You lied to me for years, Pietro, without a thought as to how it would affect me. You lied because you were afraid. You were a coward. You always have been.” 

She fired energy at him and Pietro didn't dodge the blow. He let it hit, sending him sprawling a few feet back. 

He scrambled to his feet. “I'm sorry,” he said, holding up his hands. It was almost a mirror of her stance, but defensive. “You're right.” 

“All you do is run,” Wanda snarled as she advanced on him. “I'm finally going to give you a reason.” 

The words cut deep. Red Skull influence or not, she was right. And all the hatred came from the things she'd thought and only now felt bitter enough to say. 

And he hated that it had come to this. Wanda forced by an outside entity to speak her mind on Pietro's crimes, and Pietro forced by Magneto of all people to face her. 

He didn't move when she hurled another blast of energy his way. He took it in the chest, let it send him flying. He landed on his back hard enough to make his ears ring and skidded a few feet, his uniform shredding, the ground scraping his spine. Wanda bent over him. 

“You won't run?” 

“No,” Pietro gasped. “I'm done.” 

“You'll wish you had,” she hissed. Her eyes pierced his, focusing all her fury on him, and she raised a glowing hand. “Anything else to say for yourself?” 

“You won't kill me,” Pietro said quietly. 

Wanda's eyes widened. “Why not?” 

“I trust you,” Pietro said. “I know my actions over the past few years suggest otherwise.” 

“You liar,” Wanda snarled, leaning closer, her teeth bared. 

“I made a huge mistake by not telling you the truth,” Pietro said. “I make a lot of mistakes.”

“You,” Wanda said, “won't make any more.” 

She raised her hand and all Pietro could see was the red glow of her powers ready to fire off a spell that could kill him. 

Wanda made a strangled sound, lunged forward, and hit the ground with her hand, the energy dispersing in a spray of dirt. Pietro stared up at the sky as Wanda moved off him and kneeled, hunched over next to him. 

Pietro's mind was buzzing. Slowly, he picked himself up and knelt next to his sister, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

Wanda looked up at him, her eyes too bright. “I'm so sorry,” she said shakily. “Pietro, I almost killed you. Why didn't you run?” 

“Because I knew you wouldn't,” Pietro said. “You have nothing to apologize for, Wanda. You saved me.” 

“How did--”

“You wouldn't let the Red Skull—or anyone—make you destroy what is important to you,” Pietro said. He took a deep breath. “I am sorry that I let it get this bad.” 

“That you let what—oh.” Wanda became very still. 

“I assume there was plenty of truth in what you said,” Pietro said. 

Wanda sighed. “It was in my mind, but I never would have worded it so cruelly.” 

“I deserve it,” Pietro said. “All I've ever done is run away and hurt the people I care about, and I don't want to. I want to be the brother you deserve and so far, I haven't.” 

“No,” Wanda admitted. “You lied. You let me find out through a press conference which, although brave, felt like—like I didn't know you anymore. Because the Pietro I knew could tell me anything, and I could do the same with him.” 

“It was a huge mistake,” Pietro said. “I should have trusted you. I know apologies aren't enough, but I want to try to repair things between us. If you'll let me.” 

“Pietro,” Wanda said with a weak smile, “I am angry, but you're my brother. We have each other when there's no one else.” 

“I wish I'd remembered that,” Pietro muttered. 

Wanda drew him into a tight hug. Pietro sagged against her, resting his head on her shoulder. He felt her chin against his hair, her warmth chasing away his cold. 

“You remember it now,” she murmured. “We'll find a way past this.” 

“I've needed you so much,” Pietro confessed into her shoulder. 

“We both know you always have,” Wanda said, grinning into his hair. 

“I'll be better,” Pietro promised. Wanda nodded, and he believed that she believed he could be. 

They held each other for some time. There was a war in the city, and both Wanda and Pietro were likely needed elsewhere. But for the moment, what they needed most was each other, and in comparison to that, everything else was background noise.


End file.
